• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1995

Growth factors (GFs) produced by the embryo or by the maternal reproductive tract have been reported to regulate the embryonic development and differentiation. Among GFs, EGF as a mitogen plays a role in mitosis and functional differentiation of trophectoderm cells in mouse. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of EGF on development of mouse embryos and to localize EGF in the mouse oocytes and embryos, which has been reported to be detected in the reproductive tract in mammals. To investigate the effect of EGF on the development of the embryo, mouse 2-cell embryos were cultured to blastocysts stage in Ham's F10 medium, treated with EGF(10-50 ng/ml) for 72 hrs. Immunocytochemistry was performed from oocyte to blastocyst stage with anti-EGF and anti-Mouse IgG, in order to determine the stage which EGF would be expressed in mouse. Exogenous EGF (more than 10 ng/ml) in the culture medium improved the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos. As a result of immunocytochemistry, the embryonic EGF was expressed after the late 4-cell stage. EGF is thought to enhance preimplantation embryonic development and hatching. Exogenous EGF in the culture medium is thought to activate EGF receptor in the late 4-cell embryos and to enhance blastulation and hatching in mouse embryos. It is concluded that EGF enhances the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 1998

Stimulatory effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth $factor-{\alpha}$($TGF-{\alpha}$) on the growth of squamous cancer cell lines established from human oral cancer tissue with moderate differentiation were studied in vitro. After culturing in serum-free media for 24 hours, growth factors-EGF only, $TGF-{\alpha}$ only and EGF, $TGF-{\alpha}$ together-were added to the media and numbers of cells were analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and compared with the control at 96, 144 hours. Each of EGF and $TGF-{\alpha}$ showed statistically significant stimulatory effects on the growth of cells respectively. Dose-dependent relationship of the stimulatory effects were not clearly demonstrated. The effects of EGF were higher than those of $TGF-{\alpha}$ and combinative administration showed higher effects than those of single uses. In conclusion, EGF may play an important and major role in differentiation and growth of human oral squamous cancer cells. $TGF-{\alpha}$, produced from cells activated by EGF, also can stimulate the cell growth and could be an alternative ligand for EGF receptor.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.730-736
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• 1997

Distribution of radioactivity in the skin tissues, subcutaneous tissues, blood and body organs was examined following topical application of $^{125}I-rhEGF$(0.4 ${\mu}Ci$), in the form of a Pluronic F-127 gel, on the normal and damaged (burned and stripped) skins of SD male rats. The radioactivity in the skin tissues and subcutaneous tissues was 3-5 times higher for the damaged skins than for the normal skin. But pretreatment of the skin with rhEGF (1${\mu}g$)) twice at 24 hr dose intervals affected the distribution of the radioactivity yielding the order of burned skin> stripped skin=normal skin. The decrease for the stripped skin by the pretreatment might be related either to the pathophysiological change of the skin or to the down regulation of the EGF receptor. Liver showed the highest radioactivity in amount following single and multiple administration of the drug to the normal and damaged skins. But,in concentration, the kidney and stomach showed higher value than the liver which is consistent with that kidney is a major eliminating organ of EGF and that EGF exerts its pharmacological effect specifically for the stomach.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of EGF on the development of IVM/IVF bovine embryos and their ICM and TE cell number. In addition, we examined the combined effect of EGF and coculture to the bovine embryo development and the expression of EGF-R protein on bovine embryos by indirect immunofluorescence. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: When the IVM/IVF 4- to 8-cell embryos were treated at 0, 1, 10, 100 ng/ml of EGF, EGF treatment group showed improved development to blastocyst and increased pattern of ICM and TE cell number compared with control, although there is not significantly different. The stimulating effect of EGF (10 ng/ml) to the develop ment level of IVM/IVF bovine embryos significantly increased development rate to blastocyst after 8-cell stage (p<0.05), although there is no significant effect to the increase of ICM and TE cell numbers. Also, expression of EGF-R on the bovine embryonic stage by indirect immunofluor escence presents after 4-cell stage and the intensity of the EGF-R staining was variable with the development progression. On the other hand, embryos cultured in coculture group added either with or without EGF commonly indicated the significant difference in development rate to blastocyst and Total cell number compared with control. These results suggest that the a addition of EGF to the coculture may stimulate the coculture effect between IVM/IVF bovineembryos and cumulus cells. Therefore, EGF could promote preimplantation bovine embryo development by binding with expressed EGF~R after 4-cell stage, and stimulate the production of embryotrophic factors from the coculture environment. Also, the present study showed that there was no significant effect of EGF to the increase of ICM and TE cell number although the rate of blastocyst significantly increased when treated with EGF after 8-cell stage (p<0.05).

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate stimulatory effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on nuclear maturation and the expression level of EGF-receptor (EGFR), GM-130 (a marker of Golgi apparatus), transport protein Sec61 subunit beta ($Sec61{\beta}$), and coatomer protein complex subunit gamma 2 (COPG2) in porcine oocytes. The cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from follicle with 3-6 mm in diameter. They were incubated in medium with/without EGF for 22 h (IVM I) and subsequently incubated hormone-free medium with/without EGF for 22 h (IVM II). Nuclear maturation state was checked by aceto-orcein stain. Protein expression of EGFR, GM-130, $Sec61{\beta}$, and COPG2 were measured by immunofluorescence. In results, nuclear maturation of oocytes in EGF non-treated oocytes were significantly lower than EGF-treated groups at IVM I or IVM II stage (P<0.05), whereas maturational rate in EGF treatment groups at both of IVM stage was higher in among the all treatment groups (P<0.05). EGFR, GM-130, $Sec61{\beta}$ and COPG2 were expressed in the cytoplasm of oocytes. Especially, GM-130 and EGFR were strongly expressed, but $Sec61{\beta}$ and COPG2 were weakly expressed in cortical area of cytoplasm. The protein level of GM-130, $Sec61{\beta}$, and COPG2 were significantly higher in the EGF-treated groups (P<0.05). However EGFR was no difference between non EGF-treated groups and control. In conclusion, EGF plays an important role in the systems for oocyte maturation with endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. In addition, the protein levels of $Sec61{\beta}$ and COPG2 could be changed by EGF in the porcine oocytes during maturation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.737-748
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• 1997

Distribution of rhEGF in the skin, plasma and several organ tissues following topical application of $^{125}I-rhEGF$ (0.4${\mu}$Ci) solution in 25% Pluronic F-127 on 154$mm^2$ normal and damaged (burned and stripped) skins of hairless mice was examined. The radioactivity in the stripped skin tissues increased as a function of time, and was 10-20 times higher than that in the normal and burned skins. The fractions of intact drug in the skin tissues were 40-60% for the normal and burned skins, and 60-80% for the stripped skin. It indicates that the stratum corneum layer behaves as a barrier for the dermal penetration of the drug. The radioactivity in the plasma was much higher for the stripped skin than for the normal and burned skins. However, the concentration of intact drug in the stripped skin was comparable to those in the normal and burned skins indicating most severe degradation (or metabolism) of the drug in the stripped skin. As a result, the fraction of intact drug in the plasma was lowest for the stripped skin (<10%). Body organ distribution of the drug was much higher for the stripped skin. The concentration in the stomach. Both in total radioactivity and intact drug, showed more than 10-times higher value than in the other organs (liver, kidney and spleen). The fraction of intact drug in each organ tissue was below 10-20%. And generally lowest for the stripped skin. The lowest fraction of the drug for the stripped skin could not be explained by the activity of the aminopeptidases in the skin since it was lower for the stripped skin than for the normal skin. Thereover, the fraction of intact drug appears to be determined by the balance between dermal uptake and systemic elimination of the drug, for example. The mechanism of dermal uptake of rhEGF was examined by topical applying 200${\mu}$l of 25% Pluronic F-127 solution containing 0.4 ${\mu}$Ci of $^{125}I-rhEGF$ and 0.14${\mu}$Ci of $^{14}C$-inulin (a marker of passive diffusion). The radioactivity of $^{125}I-rhEGF$ at each sampling time point (0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8hr) was correlated (p<0.05) with the corresponding radioactivity of $^{14}C$-inulin. It appears to indicate the rhEGF may be uptaken into the skins mainly by the passive diffusion. This hypothesis was supported by the constant specific binding of EGF to the skin homogenates regardless of the skin models. Receptor mediated endocytosis (RME) appears to contribute negligibly, if any, to the overall uptake process.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2002

To investigate the expression patterns of proteins and growth factor signals in differentiated rabbit embryonic stem (ES) cells, ES cells with confluent stage grown of feeder layer and differentiated cells into embryoid bodies (EB) without feeder cell were applied to protein gel and Western blotting analysis. There were 66kDa and 28kDa specifically expressed in differentiated ES cell but not in undifferentiated ES cell while 25kDa protein band showed up in only undifferentiated ES cells. Also there were some difference of protein bands in several area of gel between differentiated and undifferentiated ES cells such as about 100 kDa, 50kDa and 27kDa areas, but there was no difference in band pattern of one-dimensional gel analysis between mouse ES cells and rabbit ES cells. IGF-I receptor and EGF receptor were expressed in differentiated cells and undifferentiated cells. And ICF-I and EGF were not expressed in both differentiated and undifferentiated cells. These results indicated that ES cells express their own proteins to inhibit differentiation while EB cells synthesize different proteins to differentiate, and 16F-I receptor and EGF receptor were expressed in both ES and EB cells probably for the different functions.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2018

Purpose: Growth hormone transduction defect (GHTD) is characterized by severe short stature, impaired STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription-3) phosphorylation and overexpression of the cytokine inducible SH2 containing protein (CIS) and p21/CIP1/WAF1. To investigate the role of p21/CIP1/WAF1 in the negative regulation of the growth hormone (GH)/GH receptor and Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)/EGF Receptor pathways in GHTD. Methods: Fibroblast cultures were developed from gingival biopsies of 1 GHTD patient and 1 control. The protein expression and the cellular localization of p21/CIP1/WAF1 was studied by Western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, respectively: at the basal state and after induction with $200-{\mu}g/L$ human GH (hGH) (GH200), either with or without siRNA CIS (siCIS); at the basal state and after inductions with $200-{\mu}g/L$ hGH (GH200), $1,000-{\mu}g/L$ hGH (GH1000) or 50-ng/mL EGF. Results: After GH200/siCIS, the protein expression and nuclear localization of p21 were reduced in the patient. After successful induction of GH signaling (control, GH200; patient, GH1000), the protein expression and nuclear localization of p21 were reduced. After induction with EGF, p21 translocated to the cytoplasm in the control, whereas in the GHTD patient it remained located in the nucleus. Conclusion: In the GHTD fibroblasts, when CIS is reduced, either after siCIS or after a higher dose of hGH (GH1000), p21's antiproliferative effect (nuclear localization) is also reduced and GH signaling is activated. There also appears to be a positive relationship between the 2 inhibitors of GH signaling, CIS and p21. Finally, in GHTD, p21 seems to participate in the regulation of both the GH and EGF/EGFR pathways, depending upon its cellular location.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.110-122
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• 2005

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of salivary glands has a protracted clinical course with perineural invasion, delayed onset of hematogenous metastasis, and poor responses to classical cytotoxic chemotherapic agents. Most deaths from salivary ACC are caused by lung metastases that are resistant to conventional therapy. Therefore, knowledge of cellular properties and tumor-host interactions that influence the dissemination of metastatic cells is important for the design of more effective therapy of salivary cancer. I determined in vitro expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its downstream effectors and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2 on a human salivary ACC cell line (ACC2). I also evaluated the expression of EGF and VEGF signaling molecules and metastasis-related proteins on human salivary ACC cells orthotopically growing in nude mice. In Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses, EGFR and VEGFR-2 were presented and phosphorylated in ACC2 cells. In human parotid cancer xenografts in nude mice, EGF and VEGF signaling molecules, IL-8, and MMP-9 were expressed at markedly higher levels than in normal parotid tissues. Moreover, tumor-associated endothelial cells of this orthotopic parotid tumor expressed phosphorylated VEGFR-2 and phosphorylated Akt, which is a cell-survival protein. These data show that those biomarkers can be molecular targets for therapy of salivary ACC, which has a propensity for delayed lung metastasis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.272-277
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• 2021

RalBP1 associated EPS domain containing 1 (REPS1) is conserved from Drosophila to humans and implicated in the endocytic system. However, an exact role of REPS1 remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-p90 ribosomal S6 Kinase (RSK) signaling pathway directly phosphorylated REPS1 at Ser709 upon stimulation by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and amino acid. While REPS2 is known to be involved in the endocytosis of EGF receptor (EGFR), REPS1 knockout (KO) cells did not show any defect in the endocytosis of EGFR. However, in the REPS1 KO cells and the KO cells reconstituted with a non-phosphorylatable REPS1 (REPS1 S709A), the recycling of transferrin receptor (TfR) was attenuated compared to the cells reconstituted with wild type REPS1. Collectively, we suggested that the phosphorylation of REPS1 at S709 by RSK may have a role of the trafficking of TfR.